A new centre of excellence for vocational education is to be established for the construction sector to drive innovation and strengthen links between education providers and industry, Education Minister Chris Hipkins announced today.

The latest building consents issued show strong and sustained growth in the building sector, with the number of building consents in Auckland reaching a record high of more than 14,000, says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.

A change to the system for managing earthquake-prone buildings (EPBs) will make it easier for owners of these buildings in small towns to undertake modest building work, without having to start seismic strengthening work at the same time.

The Building Amendment Bill (the Bill), which passed its third and final reading in Parliament today, provides a new system for managing buildings after an emergency, and clear legislative powers for investigating building failures, says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.

The Government’s proposals on the biggest changes to New Zealand’s building laws since the Building Act was introduced in 2004, which aim to address long-standing challenges in the building sector, have been released for public consultation today by Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.

The latest information on building consents for new dwellings continue to show there is strong, sustained activity in the building sector at levels not seen since the 1970s, says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.

The Government has today showcased its plan to improve the construction industry’s ability to deliver skilled jobs, careers, and build more houses, says Minister for Building and Construction Jenny Salesa.

The Government today committed to working with the Auckland Mayor’s Housing Taskforce aimed at ramping up the pace and scale of housing building in our largest city, Housing and Urban Development Minister Phil Twyford and Building and Construction Minister Jenny Salesa says.